Capturing and processing data generated in an ERP interim phase

A blackout recovery system to capture and process interim business process (IBP) data generated during a blackout period of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the blackout recovery system comprising:

• a data storage device to store ERP tasks performed by the ERP system for an entity prior to the blackout period, the IBP data, and IBP data capture tools corresponding to interim business processes (IBPs) mapped to the ERP tasks for capturing the IBP data,
• wherein the IBP data capture tools include executable forms and templates to capture transactions as the captured IBP data, and
• wherein responsibility centers related to an organizational structure of the entity are each assigned to perform at least one of the IBPs, wherein the IBP data is captured during the blackout period using the set of IBP data capture tools, each IBP data capture tool including an instruction set to be sent to the responsibility center assigned to the IBP associated with the IBP data capture tool, the instruction set to include procedures to be performed to capture IBP data associated with the responsibility center;
• and
• a computer processor to
• provide send access links to the responsibility centers with access to each IBP data capture tool corresponding to each IBP the responsibility center has been assigned,
• send a notice to each responsibility center to begin capturing, at a predetermined time during the blackout period, the IBP data associated with each IBP that was assigned to the responsibility center,
• receive the IBP data captured, during the blackout period, by the IBP data capture tools, and
• upload the received IBP data to an IBP main coordinating tool, the IBP main coordinating tool to forward the received IBP data to an appropriate responsibility center for processing.

A method for capturing and processing interim business process (IBP) data generated a blackout period of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the method comprising:

• mapping, by a computer processor, ERP tasks performed by the ERP system for an entity prior to the blackout period to interim business processes (IBPs) to be performed during the blackout period;
• identifying, based on data relating to an organizational structure of the entity, responsibility centers having a responsibility for storing and communicating business data associated with the ERP tasks;
• assigning to each IBP at least one of the responsibility centers;
• creating, by the computer processor prior to the blackout period, IBP data capture tools to capture IBP data during the blackout period, wherein the IBP data capture tools include executable forms and templates to capture transactions as the captured IBP data, and
• associating each IBP with one of the created IBP data capture tools, wherein each IBP data capture tool includes an instruction set sent to a responsibility center and the instruction set includes procedures to be performed to capture IBP data associated with the responsibility center;
• providing, by the computer processor, each responsibility center with access to each IBP data capture tool corresponding to each IBP the responsibility center has been assigned;
• sending, by the computer processor, a notice to each responsibility center to begin capturing, at a predetermined time during the blackout period, the IBP data associated with each IBP assigned to the responsibility center;
• capturing, by the computer processor, the IBP data during the blackout period using the IBP data capture tools;
• receiving, by the computer processor, the IBP data captured during the blackout period, using the IBP data capture tools;
• and
• uploading, by the computer processor, the received IBP data to an IBP main coordinating tool, the IBP main coordinating tool to forward the received IBP data to an appropriate responsibility center for processing.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable on at least one computer processor to execute and process interim business process (IBP) data generated during a blackout period of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the instructions to:

• map ERP tasks performed by the ERP system for an entity prior to the blackout period to interim business processes (IBPs) to be performed during the blackout period;
• identify, based on data relating to an organizational structure of the entity, responsibility centers having a responsibility for storing and communicating business data associated with the ERP tasks;
• assign to each IBP at least one of the responsibility centers;
• create, prior to the blackout period, IBP data capture tools to capture IBP data during the blackout period, wherein the IBP data capture tools include executable forms and templates for capturing transactions as the captured IBP data, and
• associate each IBP with one of the created IBP data capture tools, wherein each IBP data capture tool includes an instruction set to be sent to the responsibility center assigned to the IBP associated with the IBP data capture tool, the instruction set to include procedures to be performed to capture IBP data associated with the responsibility center;
• provide each responsibility center with access to each IBP data capture tool corresponding to each IBP the responsibility center has been assigned;
• send a notice to each responsibility center to begin capturing, at a predetermined time during the blackout period, the IBP data associated with each IBP assigned to the responsibility center;
• capture the IBP data during the blackout period using the IBP data capture tools;
• receive the IBP data from the IBP data capture tools;
• and
• upload the received IBP data to an IBP main coordinating tool, the IBP main coordinating tool to forward the received IBP data to an appropriate responsibility center for processing.